I Need Something Cheap to Start With

Most AI tools have a free tier. Most free tiers have a hard limit you'll hit faster than you expect. The question isn't whether you can start free — you can — it's whether the free tier tells you anything useful about the paid product.

Quick answer

Need AI writing help for free→ Rytr — functional free tier, no credit card required

Need general AI capability on a budget→ ChatGPT — free tier is the strongest general baseline available

Want to try AI image generation free→ NightCafe — daily credits across multiple generation models

This fits you if

You're not sure AI will actually fit into your workflow — validate before spending
Your use volume is genuinely low and free tier limits won't be a constraint
You're comparing tools before committing — free tiers let you test the interface and output quality

When it matters

You're not sure AI will actually fit into your workflow — validate before spending
Your use volume is genuinely low and free tier limits won't be a constraint
You're comparing tools before committing — free tiers let you test the interface and output quality
You're a solo creator or student with basic needs and a hard budget constraint

The right time to upgrade is when you hit the limit and the tool already proved its value. Don't upgrade preemptively based on potential.

When it fails

Free tiers often showcase the tool at its best — production use at scale reveals limitations
Switching tools after you've built workflows around a free tier is friction — the cheaper tool becomes expensive in lost time
Some free tiers restrict the features you actually need — verify before building a workflow around them

A budget AI tool that slows your process down costs more than a paid tool that doesn't.

How providers fit

Rytr fits if you need AI writing help and can't commit to paid tools yet. Free tier covers outlines, short-form copy, and basic email drafts. Ceiling is lower than mid-tier tools — but for simple tasks, it works.

ChatGPT makes more sense if your needs are general — reasoning, drafting, research, summarizing. The free tier is more capable than most paid writing tools. No affiliate program; included because it's genuinely the strongest free baseline.

NightCafe only makes sense if image generation is the specific need. Daily free credits let you experiment without paying. Don't expect commercial-grade consistency — this is an exploration tool.

Quick decision: cheapest AI to start→Writing faster — when you're ready to upgrade→Image generation — free and paid options→AI for research — free tools that source correctly→